HIGHWAYS FUNDS.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20496, 15 March 1932, Page 8

HIGHWAYS FUNDS.

ECONOMY COMMISSION'S PROPOSALS. MR MACHm TAKEN TO TASK. As the representative of the Canterbury Automobile Association on the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, Mr F. W. Freeman, at last night's meeting of the Council of the Automobile Association, drew attention to some opinions reported to have been expressed by Mr W. Macliin regarding tho proposals made by the National Expenditure Commission relative to the Main Highways Funds. Expressing opinions as president of the Associated Chambers of Commerce, Mr Machin had been reported as saying:—l am entirely in agreement with the suggestion that tho Main Highways Revenue Fund and Capital Fund be abolished, and all motor taxation be contributed direct to the Consolidated Fund. "BOard Should be Jettisoned." Mr Freeman said that ho had noted that tho president of the Associated Chambers of Commerce had voiced the opinion that it was quite right that the Highways Board should be jettisoned and that the highways funds should go into the Consolidated Fund. To him (the speaker) it was wrong that funds after having been earmarked for highways should be put into the Consolidated Fund, and he could not understand such a course being approved by the Associated Chambers of Commerce. He hoped that Mr Machin had been expressing hift own opinion only. Mr F. W. Johnston said that the Associated Chambers of Commerce should be asked if the opinions expressed by Mr Machin were the considered opinions of that body. „ The chairman (Mr W. B. Carey) said that if the Associated Chambers had been as deeply concerned in getting the highways legislation passed as the motorists had been it would feel as strongly on the point as they did. A Statesmanlike Product. Mr Johnston said that the Dominion's highways legislation stood at the present timo as the most statesmanlike product of the past two decades, and he felt sure that, if looked at in the proper light, tho House would not agree to tho Economy Commission's proposal. He was aware that many men of brains had ex-\ pressed tho opinion that it was not right for any special tax to be devoted to any particular purpose, and that all taxes should go into the Consolidated Fund. He felt that when Mr Coates took up the matter and promulgated the Bill, after it had been discussed in Wellington by motorists and representatives of County Councils, it was the right thing to do because the country's roads wore falling into disrepair, and a programme of reconstruction, was useessary. If Parliament was to allocate the highways funds there could be no such programme over a period, and a programme was the only possible way in which the highways could be dealt with economically and properly;. Long after Mr Coates had gone, the highways legislation would stand as the greatest thing he had ever done. The Commission's Report. Either the Commission's report dealing with highways funds had been inspired from information obtained from certain sources—it might have been by other Departments that were jealous of the Highways Board —or it had made the proposals off its own bat and was cramped for time, with the result that its product had been decried through the length and breadth of tho land. One opinion expressed in a. telegram he had received was that tho report, as it referred to highways, w"as not worth the paper it was written on. His own opinion was that tho Commission's recommendation regarding highways funds was fallacious. The Commission was absolutely wrong in respect .of highways finance, and the chances were that it was absolutely wrong in every other recommendation it had made. The whole thing was too hurried, and tbo Commission had made a slap-dash roport. -He moved: That tho Associated Chambers of Commerce be written to and asked if Mr Machin's statement was an authorised statement, giving voice to the considered opinion of tho Associated Chambers. Mr Freeman seconded, and suggested that thoy should also writ© to the North and South Island Motor Unions on tho subject, Mr Johnston accepted this as an addition to his motion. Tho motion was- agreed to unanimouslv.